Roller-shade casing



May 21, 1929.- LASELL 1,713,666

ROLLER SHADE GAS ING Filed July 17, 1926 INVENTOR LMLase lb Patented May 21, 1929.

" UNE'EED,

ATET orrics.

ROLLEE-SHAD'E casino.

Application filed July 17,

This invention relates to casings for shades, and is a continuation in part of my application for patent, Serial No. 106,819 filed May th, 1926. The principal object of the invention is to provide a casing for an ordinary roller-shade, so constructed that the shade when rolled up will be protected from dust and the like, flies and other insects cannot light thereon, and the neatness of appearance of the shade structure as a whole is greatly improved over what is at present the case.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a structure for the purpose, to be detachably hung above a window, which will itself support the usual shade-roller pins in the proper manner, and which is so constructed that the shade and roller may be easily installed in or removed from the easing whenever desired.

The casing does not interfere with the raising or lowering of the shades but rather aids in this operation by causing the shade to be maintained in proper transverse alinement with its roller at all times.

A further advantage of my device is that when the shade is to be taken down, the easing is merely removed from its supporting brackets without disturbing the shade and without the danger of the roller-spring unwinding, as frequently happens with the ordinary roller supporting means.

A further object is to provide a longitudinally adjustable structure so as to enable different lengths of shade-rollers to be mounted in any casing, and to compensate for the variation frequently found in rollers of presumably equal length.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the casing structure with the shade installed therein.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the structure partly broken away, showing the shaderoller installed therein.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

1926. Serial no. 123,088.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the'line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of one end of the casing.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the device shown in connect-ion with a drape-hanger rod.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the casing comprises tubular members 1 and 2, preferably of sheet metal, open at both ends and having a longitudinal slot 8 from end to end. The tube 2 at one end is sufficiently reduced in diameter for a short length as at 4 to snugly telescope into the adjacent end of tube 1. The tube 2, along the slot is crimped inwardly as at 5 for the length thereof beyond the portion 4 to provide smooth rounded edges for the slot and at the same time reinforce the tube. Similarly, the tube 1 1s criniped inwardly along the slot-edges as at 6. This crimping at the inner end of the tube and for an extent equal to the length of the portion 4 of tube 2, is not pressed flat, but forms grooves to receive the edges of the metal along the slot of. the portion 4, as shown in Fig. 3. The tubes may therefore be longitudinally adjusted, to alter the operative length between their opposed ends, but cannot turn in each other. End caps 7 and 8 are detachably and snugly fitted over the ends of the tubes 1 and 2, said caps having slots 9 to aline with the slot 2. Flanges 10 project inwardly from the edges of the slots 9 to project into the adjacent portions of the sjot 3, and engage the crimped edges of said s 0t.

The cap 7 has a central round socket 11 to receive the usual round pin 12 on one end of the roller 13 of an ordinary shade 14. The other cap 8 has a central rectangular socket 15 to receive the usual rectangular pin 16 on the other end of the roller, to prevent rotation of said pin as is necessary to cause the roller to function properly.

The caps on the outside are provided with socket sleeves 17 disposed at right angles to the plane of the slots therein to receive vertical stems 18, projecting upwardly from bracket plates 19 adapted for attachment to a window casing. It will therefore be seen that when the casing. structure is mounted on the brackets it will be impossible for the caps to come oh, and when the casing is removed from the brackets the roller pins remain undisturbed so that the usual roller spring cannot unwind.

serted into the tubes from one end thereof, the

shade being unwound from the roller ,sufiicciently so that the bottom bai' 14 of the shade lies outwardly of the tube. while the shade itself passes through the slot 2. Thecap 8 is then placed over theouterend ol the tube Q'andtlie socket 15 simultaneously engaged with the pin 16. The other cap 7 is then similarly'inounted inplace on the tube 1. The casing isthen ready to hang up. Owing to the provisionof the flanges 10 on the caps and the springs 20, the caps cannot then move relative to the tubes and the slot in the latter is prevented'from any tendency to closing up.

'The' length oftheztubes is such that the roller will fit properlybetween the ends of the caps,so asto permit of the rotation of the roller without binding, yet with'outundue lateral play. i

The shade as pulled downvvvill always be maintained in the sameftransverse plane and cannot shift laterally of the rollerito any, ex-

' tent, owing to the cap-ends which terminate the .slots 9 and which form guides Ifor'tlie iedges-of shade.

It will beimpossiblet'or flies and other insects to cling mum shade-and be mashed be r tweenthe turns ofthe shade when the latter is rolled up, since the edge of the slot 8,will

sweep the insects, off the. shade before the'lattar -turns around the roller. Thewidth otthe slot 3 ispreferablysuch asto preventthe'bottom shade bar 1 F from passing thei'ethrough. This prevents the end of the shade from being drawn into the casing in the event that the Winding up mechanism should get out of con- .trol, as sometimes occurs;

Ifdesired, the end caps may be provided with horizontal and outwardly facing socket members 21 to detachably. receive the angled ends of a drape-hanger rod 22-which extends parallel to the casing in frontflof the .saine asjslio vn in Fig. 6. By this means, the drapes may be hung in definitely associater relation with the shade, softhat the shade and drapes may be taken down or put up 'together. The rod 22 being removable, however, the

drapes-may be disassoc-iated from the'sliade casing if desired.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially tullillsthe objects of-the invent-ion as set forth herein.

VVhilethi's specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the dev ce, st ll in practice such deviations from such detail maybe resorted to as'do not form a departure trornthe spirit of the invention, as definedby the appended claim.

Having't-hus described my invention What I claim as new anduse-ful and desireto secure by Letters Patentis:

A roller shade casing coinprisinga tube provided with a longitudinal"slot relatively jheavy end caps arranged to be-engaged with the ends of the tube; each end caps having slotsto register with the tube slot but being of less width than such-slot and projecting flanges on the edges of the cap slots overlapping the adjacent edgesofthetube slot.

In testimony whereof I atlix'my signature.

LOUIS M. eeann 

